Background In 2016, there were 1 220 reported cases of occupational noise-induced deafness in China, and 28.44% of these cases were reported in Guangdong Province, indicating a serious noise hazard.
Objective By analyzing the epidemiological characteristics of occupational noise-induced deafness in Guangdong Province, the study aims to identify high-risk populations and industries, in order to provide evidence for a scientific and accurate prevention and control program against the disease.
Methods Investigations were carried out in enterprises with noise hazards in the province. Workplace noise detection data in 2016 were retrieved from former local safety supervision departments, noise-exposed workers' general information and occupational health examination results during employment were collected from local occupational disease prevention and treatment institutions, and the number of registered cases of occupational noise-induced deafness was from the national occupational diseases diagnosis system. Distributions of occupational noise-induced deafness were described by region, industry, enterprise scale, economic type, sex, and exposure duration.
Results The number of noise-exposed workstations exceeding the national limit of noise exposure in Guangdong Province in 2016 was 8 922, and the exceeding rate was 29.17% (8 922/30 583). The number of noise-exposed workers with average hearing threshold of binaural high-frequency ≥ 40 dB was 25 020, and the positive rate was 10.10% (25 020/247 737). There were 347 registered cases of occupational noise-induced deafness, and the morbidity rate was 0.14%. Regionally, GuangdongFoshan-Zhaoqing Area (144/70 029, 0.21%) had a higher morbidity rate than other areas. Industrially, manufacturing industry (311/196 652, 0.16%), construction industry (3/1 219, 0.25%), and wholesale and retail industry (13/4 861, 0.27%) had higher morbidity rates than other industries. By enterprise scale, medium-scale enterprises (129/61 124, 0.21%) and small-scale enterprises (107/54 166, 0.20%) had higher morbidity rates than other scales of enterprises. By gender, male workers (310/196 600, 0.16%) had a higher morbidity rate than female workers. By exposure duration, the group of working less than 4 years (41/125 995, 0.03%) had a lower morbidity rate than other working age groups, the groups of working 4 years and more had morbidity rates of 0.17%-0.36%, and the group of working 10-20 years had the highest rate.
Conclusion Guangdong is facing a severe challenge in prevention and control of occupational noise-induced deafness. Strengthened management and protection should be put to male and chronically noise-exposed workers in Guangdong-Foshan-Zhaoqing Area, manufacturing industry, and small- and medium-scale enterprises.
DownLoad: